Folding crate



(No Model.) I

W. KALGHTHALER.

FOLDING CRATE.

N0. 593,022. Patented NOV. 2,1897.

U ITED STATES PATENT amen WILLIAM KALOI-ITHALER, OF PITTSBURG,PENNSYLVANIA.

FOLDING CRATE.

SPEGIFIGAIION forming part of Letters Patent No. 593,022, dated November2, 1897.

Application filed November 30,1896. Serial No. 613,913. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM KALCHTHA- LER, a citizen of the UnitedStates of America, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny andState of Pennsylvania, have in vented certain new and usefulImprovements in Folding Grates, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in foldingcrates, and has for its object to construct a crate that may be foldedin a neat and compact form when empty, and thus reduced to a size equalto about one-third of the built-up form and saving a considerable amountin the return shipment of packages of this description.

The invention further aims to construct a crate that may be convenientlyadapted for use as an egg-crate, berry-crate, or various other articlesrequiring a package of this description; furthermore, to construct acrate that will be extremely simple in its construction, strong,durable, effectual in its opera tion, and comparatively inexpensive tomanufacture.

With the above and other objects in view the invention finally consistsin the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts to behereinafter more specifically described, and particularly pointed out inthe claim.

In describing the invention in detail reference is had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and whereinlike letters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the severalviews,in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved foldingcrate, showing the same in the builtup form. Fig. 2 is a similar view ofthe opposite side of same. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view. Fig. 4is a similar view taken when the box is in the folded form.

Referring now to the drawings by reference-letters, a indicates thebase, to the side edges of which are secured side strips 19 b, to whichare hinged the side pieces 0 and 0'. End strips cl cl are secured to thebase or bottom, and to these strips are hinged the end pieces a e, whilethe center board or partition 6 is hinged to the upper face of the basea. The side piece 0 is provided with a staple f to receive the hasp g,carried by the cover or top h, said top or cover 71- being secured tothe side piece 0 by double-acting bar-hinges 7:: 70', said hingespermitting the swinging outward and downward of the cover, which couldnot be obtained with an ordinary hinge. These double bar-hinges alsoserve, when the crate is being folded, to allow the cover to first swingaway from the box and then to drop down over the top of the parts afterthey are closed together. The side piece 0' is also provided with anaperture Z,.adapted to receive the staple f to allow the side piece 0 tofold flat on the side piece (2-. The cover or top h is provided with endpieces or strips on m, which engage the end pieces e e of the crate, andhooks n n are attached to the end strips d d and fasten in eyelets o 0,carried by the strips m m, and fasten the crate in the folded position;

The manner of folding my improved boX is as follows: The partition 6 isfolded on the base a and the ends e c then folded in, one

end piece folding on top of the partition 6.

The side piece 0 is next folded and the side piece 0 folded on top ofthe same, the staple carried by the side piece 0 passing through theaperture Z and permitting the folding of the two sides close together.During this latter operation the cover, by reason of the double-actingbar-hinges, is permitted to swing away, from the balance of the box anddown over the top of the same, where it is fastened by the hooks n n inthe eyelets o o. The box is then reduced to a size about one-third ofthe built-up form, which will be of great convenience to the shipper ofeggs, fruit, and the like, as he is thereby enabled to save considerablein the matter of freight charges.

It will be observed that when the crate is in the built-up form it willpresent a rigid and neat form and can be handled in the same manner as abuilt-up crate, and it will be noted, further, that various changes maybe made in the details of construction with- V along its sides, andwhich strips 1) are Wider I closed together; the cover 71 and the doubleto tha'n those (Z; the central partition 6', which bar-hinges is,bywhieh the cover is connected is hinged to the bottom a; the end piecesa 130 theside c, Substantially, as shown. which are hinged to the endstriped; the side In testimony whereof I affix my signature pieces e andc, the side piece a being pr0- I in presence of two witnesses. Videdwith a staple toengagewith the beep WVILLIAM KALOHTHALER. connected tothe cover, and the side piece 0 Witnesses;

being provided with an opening Z,Vthr0u'gh l A. M. WILSON;

which the staple passes when the parts are H, E. SEIBERT.

